One of the benefits of showing so many homes is that I get to see all kinds of neat stuff. This past winter I was in a townhouse up in Laurel and I noticed the little peep-hole for seeing who's at your front door. We have one at our front door and usually it's only good for letting me know that someone is there -- I can't usually tell WHO that someone is. And if they stand a little to the side, I can't see them at all.

Note: I don't open the door if you stand to the side. If I can't see you, you don't get to see me. At least until we get one of these neat do-hickeys.

Anyway, this particular peep-hole is called a Door Scope and it's like having a little color monitor on your door! It's bright and clear, you don't have to stand with your eye pressed up against it to see through it, and it's got a very nice wide-angle lens. They range in price from $14.50 to $29.50.

I'm so glad we got something good out of that particular showing, because the real estate company forgot to call their client and let her know that we were coming through. We let ourselves into the house at our appointed time (using the lockbox as instructed), set off the alarm, which got the owner out of the shower and scared her half-to-death. The buyers decided they'd seen enough at the front door and we left.

But not without noticing how cool the Door Scope was.

If I were selling my house, I'd definitely want one of these things. Okay, even though I'm not selling, I want one. Are you reading this, honey???

(C) Susan Pruden.